Bands From Features (Production Mapping)
Summary
Converts point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon elevation features within an area of interest (AOI) into polygon band features. Output band size is determined by defining ranges from an input attribute, such as elevation, in the input feature class or layer. A polygon feature class or feature layer defines the AOI.
Usage
Input Elevation Features contain a value field holding elevation values. You can specify multiple input elevation feature classes with different elevation fields and units. Create a selection layer or apply a layer definition query to limit the number of features processed.
Band Units, used in generating output bands, can be either Meters or Feet.
Ranges are used to define the size of output bands. Use the Dissolve or Frequency tools to extract a list of unique values from your polyline data. Check Ranges as percent to specify that range values be interpreted as percentiles.
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Input Area of Interest Features must be polygons. You can select features with a selection tool
or create a layer definition query to limit the size of the AOI. If running the tool in ArcCatalog, use a layer file with a selection set or a definition query to restrict the size of the AOI. If no selection set or layer definition query is provided, all features inside the AOI will be used to create bands. This tool may generate holes around the corners of Input Area of Interest Features. Set a high Area of Interest Buffer value to correct this. Do not use a negative value for this parameter.
Use a unique value renderer on the range name field in the output results to visualize the elevation or isoline bands.
Use Input Exclusion Features to block out areas of processing within the AOI. No output bands will be created where exclusion features overlap input elevation features.
The tool uses a triangulation algorithm to create bands between contours or isolines. Setting the refine triangulation parameter can increase band placement accuracy by calculating new elevation values (+/- 1/3 contour interval) in places where triangulated edges have identical elevation.
Syntax
| Parameter | Explanation | Data Type |
in_elevation_features [[Feature layer, Field, Linear Unit],...] |
The point, multipoint, polyline, or polygon feature layers or feature classes, their attribute fields (value fields) that contain elevation or isoline data, and distance units of those value fields. | Value Table |
in_bands_units | Output band distance units.
| String |
out_bands_featureclass |
The output feature class that contains the bands created by the tool. | Feature Class |
in_ranges_as_percent | Specifies if the tool interprets range values as values or percentiles.
| Boolean |
in_bands_ranges [[from_value, to_value, range_name],...] |
The from-to range values for the bands to be created. The list should contain space-delimited strings with a from value, to value, and a name for the range. A range from 100 to 200 feet could look like this: 100 200 low_elev. | Value Table |
in_aoi_features (Optional) |
Polygon feature layer or feature class defining the area of interest. | Feature Layer |
in_aoi_field (Optional) |
Field containing a unique identifier for each map sheet. | Field |
in_aoi_buffer (Optional) |
A buffer to apply to input area of interest features. The buffer expands the AOI Feature Class geometry to include features in the Contour Feature Class that lie beyond the boundary of an AOI. This can improve the accuracy of the banding calculation used to generate the elevation tint polygons. | Linear Unit |
in_exclusion_features [in_exclusion_features,...] (Optional) |
Polygon feature layers or feature classes used to exclude areas from processing where exclusion and AOI features overlap. | Feature Layer |
in_rounding_option (Optional) | Specifies whether input values round up, down, or interpolate within their range. Interpolate is the default option.
| String |
in_iterations_count (Optional) | Number of times, from 1 to 5, the tool will run on a feature to narrow down the interpolated value. The default is 2.  Note:This option is only available if PERCENTILE_VALUE is set for in_ranges_as_percent and in_rounding_option is set to Interpolate. | String |
in_tolerance (Optional) | Note: This option is only available if PERCENTILE_VALUE is set for in_ranges_as_percent and in_rounding_option is set to Interpolate. Otherwise, tolerance is computed from the high and low value in the value field. | Double |
in_refine_elevation_model (Optional) | Specifies if the tool will run a triangulation algorithm that refines the tool's processing elevation model.
| Boolean |
out_triangulation_featureclass (Optional) |
The triangulated feature class used to generate bands from features. | Feature Class |
out_interpolated_isolines_featureclass (Optional) |
Polyline feature class interpolated from Input Elevation Features. | Feature Class |
out_topological_errors_featureclass (Optional) |
Point feature class that contains topological error features produced during processing. Types of errors include:
| Feature Class |
Code Sample
The following Python window script demonstrates how to use the BandsFromFeatures tool.
import arcpy
# set gp environment
arcpy.env.workspace="c:/data/Austin.gdb"
arcpy.env.addOutputsToMap = True
arcpy.env.overwriteOutput = True
# path to the contours feature class
elevations = "TopographicMap/ContourL Elevation Meters"
# output bands feature class
bands = "ElevationBands"
# Range list used to define the bands
rangeList = "0 500 0-500;501 600 500-600;601 700 600-700;800 2000 800-2000"
# execute the tool
arcpy.BandsFromFeatures_production(elevations,"Meters",bands,"ABSOLUTE_VALUE",rangeList)